2023-24 NLL Preview: How Will a Coaching Change Impact Calgary?

With the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League season set to begin Dec. 1-2, USA Lacrosse Magazine is going team by team in the days leading up to the opener. Today, we take a deep dive on the Calgary Roughnecks.

CALGARY ROUGHNECKS

2022-23 Record: 13-5
Head Coach: Josh Sanderson, first season
 Assistants: Troy Cordingley, Phil Sanderson

Additions: Thomas Hoggarth, F (Rochester); Robert Hudson, D (Georgia); Logan Schuss, F (Vancouver); Thomas Vela, F (Rochester)
Departures: Mitch Wilde, T (New York); Chris Willman, D (Vancouver); Kyle Waters, F (Rochester)

STORYLINES TO WATCH

How does the coaching change impact the Roughnecks?

The 2023 NLL Coach of the Year will be manning the pine elsewhere this season. Curt Malawsky, who spent 10 years as the Roughnecks’ bench boss following a pair of stints with the team as a player, was named the Vancouver Warriors head coach and general manager in July. It was a decision he described as “gut-wrenching” to NLL.com’s Adam Levi, but one made to be closer to home and to chase the excitement of a new challenge.

Malawsky helped the Roughnecks exceed expectations last season, with a young core stepping into the shoes of departed future Hall of Famers Curtis Dickson and Dane Dobbie. Jesse King, Tyler Pace and Tanner Cook all had career years, and the defense allowed the second-fewest goals of any team in the league.

The Roughnecks turned to another former player to keep the momentum going, hiring Josh Sanderson in August. Sanderson, who spent nearly three years of his 19-year playing career in Cow Town, previously served as offensive coordinator and director of player personnel for the San Diego Seals.

He brings a legacy of coaching success, following in the footsteps of his dad, Terry, and uncle, Lindsay, as well as a pair of championship rings from his time on the floor.

Can Christian del Bianco repeat his historic 2022-23 season?

Christian del Bianco, arguably the league’s top young goaltender since arriving in the NLL in 2016, had a season for the ages last winter. He became just the second goalie in the league’s history to win Most Valuable Player honors, following Buffalo’s Steve Dietrich in 2006, and won his first NLL Goalie of the Year Award after backstopping his team to a franchise-record 13 wins.

He set a new NLL high for minutes played, as well as personal bests for goals against average (9.28) and save percentage (.810).

“There is no doubt that we would not have had the franchise record-setting, 13-win season we had without Christian,” Malawsky said at the end of last season. “The confidence of our team was directly related to his play, night in and night out. In the most important position on the floor, he was our best player.”

Dietrich and Matt Vinc are the only goalies in NLL history to ever win back-to-back Goalie of the Year awards. Could del Bianco join another historic list after this season?